In this chapter, you will learn how digital devices connect and share data with each other. This is called networking. Networks are all around us – in homes, schools, offices, and across the internet. When you use websites, watch videos, send messages, or access cloud files, you are using different types of networks. Understanding how these systems work helps you use technology more safely, more efficiently, and with more confidence.
This chapter is divided into six key lessons, each one focusing on an important part of computer networking. You will learn:
What the internet is and how it works
How devices connect and what bandwidth means
Different ways networks are arranged (topologies)
How client-server and peer-to-peer systems compare
How encryption protects data and why security matters
How data is sent across networks using packets and protocols
Each lesson includes a short explanation of the topic, key vocabulary, and questions to check your understanding. After that, you’ll complete a set of activities designed to help you practise and remember the content. These include individual research tasks, pair work, and small group activities. All of your answers, notes, and diagrams will go into this workbook so that you build up a full set of revision notes for use in future lessons and exams.
To finish each lesson, there are also optional exam-style questions. These help you prepare for test conditions and apply what you’ve learned in a more formal way.
Work through each section carefully. Use full sentences, label all diagrams, and take pride in building a useful set of notes. Everything you write in this workbook will help you succeed in future Computer Science lessons.